The Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom enjoys unwavering control of gas exports to Europe with little current viable competition. The European Union, overall, receives 25 percent of its natural gas supply via pipelines from Russia, with some (mostly Eastern European) consumers almost completely dependent on the large supplier.

The Southern Corridor, the planned natural gas link to non-Russian resources in the Caspian and Middle East, will largely determine the future energy security of the European Union.  At the moment, the corridor is merely a concept.  Only piecemeal infrastructure is in place on the ground in Turkey, which is the key bridge between gas suppliers and consumers. 

From Reuters:  Russia resumed gas supplies to Belarus on Thursday and paid gas transit debts to Minsk in a move to ease fears of supply cuts to the European Union

From Deutsche Welle:  Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said on Tuesday that Russia and Belarus were facing a "gas war," similar to Russia's 2009 conflict with Ukraine.

From Ellen Barry, the New York Times:  Russian President Dmitri A. Medvedev on Monday ordered Gazprom to cut deliveries of natural gas deliveries to Belarus over unpaid debts, a step which could jeopardize supplies to Poland and other European countries.

From RIA Novosti: French energy producer EDF will sign an agreement to join the South Stream gas pipeline project with Russia's energy giant Gazprom and Italy's Eni during the International Economic Forum due in Russia's second city of St. Petersburg on June 17-19, Gazprom has said.

Try this as a thought experiment: imagine a dynamic modern Russia with a robust knowledge economy, diversified industry, and reasonably functioning legal system where starting a business –or adjudicating disputes -- is no more difficult than in say, Turkey or Malaysia. Not easy, is it?

For decades now, underinvestment in Russian gas infrastructure has reduced its reliability and operational efficiency. In addition to an increased risk of accidents, the repairs, maintenance, upgrades and replacements resulting from this physical deterioration are a major cost element.